Andrew Stretch's Reviews
The Killing Stone weaves an intriguing tale of family curses and folk horror as you build a deck to take on a devil at his own game. We loved the use of combos and synergy across cards, as well as the narrative, even if it took a bit to digest.
The Jackbox Party Pack 12 supplies fans with five unique titles that range from completely off the wall humor to a focused and intense trivia game. Not all games will fit the vibe of a party, but at least one or two always will.
Hellraiser: Revival gets the themes and look absolutely nailed down, but with a 'constantly on' story, it betrays itself as players will find themselves quickly desensitized.
Order of the Sinking Star takes a gaming mechanic that has been around as long as gaming and hasn't stopped iterating upon it. A must have for puzzle gamers, but maybe a second guess for the Switch version for right now.
End of Abyss does a fantastic job of creating an eerie world that you'll want to explore, however, once you start unlocking upgrades you'll begin to lose the feeling of tension. Map glitches make retracing steps a confusing experience.
Marvel's Wolverine seems to get in its own way by crafting a fun but overly stuffed storyline and a lack of variety in combat (partially Logan's fault). The full experience invokes classic action hack-and-slash titles but doesn't do much to elevate.
Orbitals is a great bite-sized adventure that lures you in with nostalgic anime and then captures you with a wide variety of puzzle-solving gameplay.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a mystery from step one, filled with entertaining but not particularly difficult puzzles. It's a story worth experiencing.
Halo: Campaign Evolved looks great and runs well taking the story we've loved for 25 years and giving it some modern gameplay upgrades. Bonus Missions are a fun expansion, but the lack of multiplayer is a bit strange...
The Incident At Galley House is a fantastic murder mystery wrapped up in a unique storytelling style. Uncover the puzzle through context clues and deduction, just make sure you're entering the right information for a scene you want to see!
The Remake Of The End Of The Greatest RPG Of All Time is a fun escape room that merges discovery with combat like puzzles and a fun meta element. I do wish some puzzles had been a bit harder to guess, so I wouldn't have strayed too far though.
Echo Generation 2 is a fun deckbuilding game with a unique approach to multiple protagonists and a number of deep story driven worlds. Unfortunately for all of the phenomenal setup, the back half of the game doesn't stick the landing, instead rushing into an Act 3 that's a simple battle gauntlet.
Directive 8020 does a lot correctly, but tends to get in its own way instead of letting the player sit in the uncomfortableness. The new Turning Point system makes exploring new outcomes a breeze.
The Boys: Trigger Warning is a great window into the messed-up world of The Boys that puts characters into the shoes of a new character with a tragic story and a fun set of powers to unleash on the world. Gameplay is fun and easy to get into and it feels oh so successful to master.
Pokopia offers something for all Pokemon fans whether you're the type to just want to go on an adventure with Pokemon (as Pokemon?) or create a whole new world with Pokemon. While the end-game grind was dull, overall this is a fantastic package.
Resident Evil Requiem does a good job creating a classic Resident Evil experience, while also giving the characters and story room to breathe through swapping protagonists. Fun (and scary) from the first moment you're jumpscared!
Tarsier's Reanimal is a fun and creepy adventure to spend alone or with a friend for a few hours. The co-op experience doesn't add much, but you'll be able to bounce ideas off the deeper story as you're escaping from hellish birds
Men In Black: Most Wanted not only knows its source so well, but also its medium. Most Wanted delivers a fun overarching story as episodic beats with interesting exploration and logic puzzles, as well as fun set pieces for shootouts. Unique controls and a welcoming cartoon atmosphere make the game a delight to be in.
Deadpool VR is an arcadey hack and slash adventure with the promise of a Deadpool that never stops talking. While some of the cutscenes are longwinded and the melee gameplay isn't great, the shooting and movement options allow you to set up fun combos. There's a lot of replayability, but long levels might discourage you from too much backtracking.
Pokémon Legends ZA is an incredible new entry set in a world that's as alive as the characters that inhabit it. The new battle system adds a unique level of chaos to keep battles constantly fresh, and exploring the world for new Pokémon never gets old.